Continuing our coverage, powerful state and local officials orchestrated a massive illegal BP oil spill scheme that drained public coffers for years. Financial checks and unapproved contract files reveal hundreds of thousands in taxpayer dollars paid out without licenses or ethics approval. The Ripp Report exposes how ten years of shadowy deals went completely unpunished.

Councilman Kevin Boone and his corrupt political network used a labyrinth of secret shell companies to line developer pockets. Court filings and corporate records expose an intricate web of hidden partnerships designed to evade public oversight and ethics laws. Discover how deep this tangled web of insider self-dealing really goes.

“This is the book that will get SEC Football fans through the lockdowns! I call it the ‘Bible of SEC Football,’” said Dr. Warner, the “Professor of Tailgating,” and author of more than twenty tomes. “That’s because Southerner’s don’t think—they feel—and there’s nothing they feel more passionate about than SEC Football on Saturdays in the fall!” Chris Warner will be signing his newest book on SEC Football (Father's Day) along with several others he's written...in Fairhope on Saturday June 6, 2020 in Fairhope, 1 to 4.

By Chris Warner Special to the Ripp Report/Baldwin County Legal Eagle Backstory Podcast Media Preserving Quality of Life and Livability Through Planning and Growth Management Quality of life has been best defined as the gap between what you want and what you have. The lofty goal of government is to close that gap, so citizens can enjoy an enhanced living environment; one in keeping with their stated goals for growing. Planning is the prudent managing of physical and human growth; and particularly—density, as there are direct, positive correlations between quality of life and the number of people living in a place, in favor of smaller, less dense towns. Slower-paced communities sought for their schools, low property taxes and cultural amenities can be overwhelmed by crowded schools, sprawl and the loss of a valued former sense of belonging unfettered growth can bring. Villages, towns and cities are made of people—and like people—they change over time, as they are allowed to. Managing how quickly a place grows helps maintain its cherished quality of life, and gives it a chance to grow into a healthy, older place still in keeping with the tenets of its founding and early development.

Following up on local judicial cover-ups, city insiders deliberately bungled a violent assault prosecution to protect a favored political crony. Court dockets and omitted charging documents reveal how officials intentionally missed deadlines so the offender walked free. We unpack the entire derailment of justice before the next cover-up unfolds.

Former politicians are quietly positioning themselves to cash in on new state-regulated industries while public health crises rage. Newly uncovered lobbyist registries and financial filings reveal key power players exploiting backroom influence for personal profit. Will Alabamians hold these opportunists accountable before the money vanishes?

Council President Jack Burrell publicly took credit for sewer improvements while secretly voting against critical funding for municipal infrastructure. Official council minutes and hidden police records show a pattern of deceit, wasteful land deals, and buried reports. See how one politician's claims crumble when matched against his real voting record.

Our investigation continues into how a corrupt political machine uses appointed judges and city prosecutors to shield violent cronies from jail. Formal letters to the District Attorney and court orders reveal how legal technicalities were intentionally manufactured to drop serious charges. This rigged system leaves victims behind while corrupt leaders celebrate impunity.

A shadowy coalition of political operatives is quietly planting puppet candidates across Baldwin County to seize total municipal control. Campaign financial logs and leaked insider emails trace thousands in dark money flowing from rich developers directly into slate campaigns. Unmask the political puppets pulling the strings in your local government today.